Rountree escapee Blaine Collamore arraigned on several charges

SANTA CRUZ -- A Scotts Valley man who walked away from Rountree Detention Center in September pleaded not guilty Tuesday to several new charges stemming from the escape and his most recent arrest.

Blaine Richard Collamore, 22, escaped from the medium-security facility near Watsonville on Sept. 11 while on a break from a recidivism reduction class.

Collamore and Bryan Matthew Martin allegedly then broke into a nearby home, where a woman was sleeping, and stole her purse and her 1985 Honda wagon. The Honda, which the woman said had sentimental value, was later recovered.

Martin was caught two days later at Lighthouse Field, and faces trial in March, court officials said.

Collamore's arrest came Friday afternoon, when Santa Cruz County sheriff's deputies were on a burglary control detail in Santa Cruz. A deputy spotted a Saturn he recognized and then saw a man moving around in the back of the car and looking out the window at the patrol car, Sgt. Pat Dimick said.

"He didn't run; he said, 'you got me, you got me'," Dimick said.

Collamore was found with heroin, burglary tools and a stolen purse and iPhone, prosecutor Sara Dabkowski said.

Combined with his felony escape, burglary and stolen car charges, he faces a maximum sentence of more than 20 years in prison, if convicted, she said.

Dabkowski also alleges he has a prior felony conviction, in 2009, for burglary.

Collamore has been listed as the Sheriff's Office's Most Wanted suspect three times this year, including once before his escape. At that time, he was listed as a Santa Cruz resident.

Collamore and Martin had been jailed at Rountree Detention Center as they each awaited sentences on drug and theft convictions, according to authorities. They were considered "low-risk inmates" who were close to completing a six-week program that aims to reduce reoffending.

Jail officials said they planned to reconsider aspects of the program and who is admitted to it.

Collamore's attorney, Jesse Ruben, could not be reached Tuesday to comment.